مولاي قد فقتَ الورى

مولاي قد فقتَ الورى

فيمن تقدّم أو تأخرْ

فيمن تقدّم أو تأخرْ

My lord, you have surpassed humankind,

My Master, you have surpassed all people

among those who came before or came after.

Whether earlier or later in time

أنت المقدّمُ رتبةً

أنت المقدّمُ رتبةً

وأحقّ فينا أن تُصَدّرْ

وأحقّ فينا أن تُصَدّرْ

You are foremost in rank,

You are foremost in rank

and most entitled among us to be given precedence.

And most deserving among us to lead

لكنّني يا سيّدِي

لكنّني يا سيّدِي

في مثل هذي الحالِ أُعْذَرْ

في مثل هذي الحالِ أُعْذَرْ

But I, O my master,

Yet I, my lord, in such a state

am excused in a situation such as this.

Must be excused

ولأنتَ مِنّا بالتصَدّرِ في

ولأنتَ مِنّا بالتصَدّرِ في

مقَامِ الفَضْلِ أجدرْ

مقَامِ الفَضْلِ أجدرْ

And you indeed, compared with us, when it comes to precedence in

Though you precede us in merit

the station of excellence, are more deserving.

In the station of virtue you are worthiest

لكنّهُ حكْمُ الزّمانِ

لكنّهُ حكْمُ الزّمانِ

وحُكْمُهُ شيءٌ مُقَدّرْ

وحُكْمُهُ شيءٌ مُقَدّرْ

But it is the decree of time,

But it is the law of the times

and its decree is something ordained.

And its rule is foreordained

لك أسوة فيما معنى

لك أسوة فيما معنى

You have an example in what is meant [final phrase unclear].

You are exemplary in meaning